The Sleepeasy Solution: The Exhausted Parent's Guide to Getting Your Child to Sleep from Birth to Age 5

I am really skeptical when it comes to books that "supposedly" help you get your baby to sleep. In desperation I downloaded this book into my Kindle. As I lied in bed with a baby nursing and my arm hurting from the side-lying position (which has been my permanent position for the past six months), I read the book thinking "yeah right." The next day, exhausted from nursing all night and from getting very little real sleep I decided that enough was enough. I love my baby. I don't mind nursing and co-sleeping, but I knew that she was not getting enough sleep and neither was I. We were both very cranky and exhausted for the past few months. It's easier when you have children close in age (at least it was for me)because you are all pretty much on the same schedule. However, this baby is number four and eight years apart from the last child, which means that she goes to many events and is constantly on the go. Being on the go hasn't allowed for a structured nap schedule which means that I HAVE to give her as much "real" sleep at night as possible. What we had been doing was nurse-sleeping and she was in a constant state of light sleep. Anyway, I JUST started The Sleepeasy Solution last night and baby slept in her co-sleeper for 12 hours! The hardest part were the first 30 minutes. Tonight, she went down at 8:00 PM and only fussed for about 7 minutes. I never got to the second or third check-ins. I like this solution because unlike the Ferber Method you don't just let the baby cry it out. This solution is much more friendly and you can customize it to fit your needs. I mean you don't want to customize so much that you are doing the same old thing that didn't work for you to begin with, but you can change the structure a little. It'll probably take longer to yield results if you don't follow it to the T, but it'll still work. I highly recommend this book and I highly recommend you do follow it as written because you will get results almost instantly. This morning I started to feel like my old self and my baby woke up with a big smile on her face. We thoroughly enjoyed our day with lots of play time and happy moments.

Doing it Alone

So my hubby went back to work on Friday after being home for over a month.  I was terrified to be alone...lol.  I must be getting old.  How is it that I was able to handle a newborn, a one year old, and a five year old all by myself without any help.  I remember my husband  being in the police academy when I had my last baby and had no days off, so I was basically on my own from the time I came home from the hospital.  I remember cooking, cleaning, running around, going to the playground, play dates, food shopping, etc., with three kids under the age of five.  This time around I have had my hubby doing almost everything and my three older kids helping out and I am dying...lol.  Also, my recovery has been longer.  Although everyone tells me that I look great and they can't believe I just had a baby, I feel like poop.  I feel so drained.  I am taking my organic prenatal vitamins, additional iron, and vitamin D, along with pro/pre-biotics and I still feel like I am dragging.  However, I have to admit that I have not been eating as well as I normally do because I don't have the energy to juice or make wholesome meals for myself.  I know that has a lot to do with it, along with a lack of sleep; I've been getting about three hours a night and those three hours are filled with weird dreams and intermittent awakenings.

Anyway, Friday didn't go as bad as I thought it would.   I was able to get up with the kids at 6 AM and send them off to school.  While wearing the baby in my MayaWrap I was able to get some cleaning and laundry done.  Yes, I had to pee with a baby in a sling and nurse while I ate my meals, but all and all it wasn't so bad.

Today, is a bit harder because all of the kids are home and it's been "Mommy," "Mommy," "Mommy."  The baby has not wanted to be put down and my back is absolutely killing me from wearing her.  To top it all off I think I may be getting an ear infection because my ear hurts and continues to pop.  Gosh, this would be my second ear infection this month, which is WEIRD because I haven't had one since I was like five years old. I'm telling you, I am falling apart.  I can really use my mommy!  I need some of her wholesome cooking and TLC.

I tell myself that this is temporary and that's how I manage to get through it, especially at night.  I look into my baby's eyes and it's all worth it.  We are so blessed to have her and we are all in love.  If I can get just a little sleep I think I can conquer the world!

Wired Tired

I am so deliriously tired / sleepy, but I cannot sleep!  This is what I have coined, "wired tired." I can't  sleep for so many reasons:  my back aches, my belly is cumbersome, I can't find a comfortable position, and my mind will not shut up!  I can't stop thinking of the many things that I need to get done, but can't.  Ugh.  Also, my little boy has been under the weather, so when I am FINALLY falling into sweet, sweet sleep I am awaken by a not-so-well-cranky-little-boy.  It's not his fault  and I could never be angry, so I have to of course comfort him and take care of him.  Bedrest doesn't matter when life calls.  I am hoping that writing these thoughts down will relieve some of the clutter in my mind and will help me finally get some Zzzzzzzz.

Well, I guess I will try and relax now and if worst comes to worst, I can always count sheep...